Putting off this morning what you can do in 2 hours

I should be packing, but I have reached the point where I really don't care what I take to wear on vacation, no one knows me, and really, Steve doesn't care. He always thinks I look good, except when I wear what he thinks is to short a dress to church. So instead of packing, I'm recovering my counter stools. I found this great iron-on vinyl that makes materials water and stain proof. It was easy to use and has endless possiblities. I'm starting to think of all the material I could use this on. Now I just have to find the time.

It has been awhile

Ok, so it has been awhile since I last posted something on my blog. I turning over a new chapter and have commited to post more often. I noticed I have been deleted as everyone's friends blog. Time to change. I'll start with our most recent trip. Great Britain. It was wonderful, so much history, so many castle, so many palaces.


Here we are at Loch Lammond, first I must say we were prepared for the awful rainy English weather. Jackets, long sleeves, unbrellas. It rained all of 15 minutes the first day, then it was sunny and hot for the next two weeks. Anyway, the Loch (or lake) was beautiful as was the surrounding countryside in Scotland.




This place is called Chatsworth House. Some house, it was grand in the grandest way. I think they filmed a part of Pride and Prejudice here, Mr. Darsey's house. It was something to see. The grounds were immense. I think it took us two hours just to walk around all the different gardens.

Here we are at the entrance to Edinburgh castle. Edinburgh has been around 1300 years as a city and always had a something guarding it for as long. This fortification and castle has only been around since the 11 and 12 century. We started the day up here and made our way down through the city

We stayed at the lovelyest hotels. This one was on a golf course and was an old manor house. Here we are at the back door. (I still have to figure out how to put a better background, you'll get more later)

So it has been awhile...

I haven't been so busy that I didn't have time to update, I just haven't made the time. Steve always says that you can make the time to do what is most important to you. Guess this wasn't it. But we have been busy nonetheless.

In February we went to Lake Tahoe to ski, and up to Utah to see our grandson, Derek, baptised. In March we went to Disneyland with Kent & Stephanie and grandkids, we came home and went ski again to Tahoe. In April to celebrate our 36 years of marriage we went to Hawaii, the big island. In May we welcomed 3 new grandkids into our family, Porter, Lyla and Scarlet, thanks to Craig & Nicole.

In June we move back out to the country and then four days later leave for Italy and Switzerland for 3 weeks. See you soon!

Halemaumau Crater

Hiking thru a lava bed crater,

Above the clouds on the road up to Mauna Kea,

Elevation 13,796

The Christmas Tree Forest

We only had a week until Christmas when we returned back home from Orlando. Steve and I went out first thing Saturday morning to buy out tree, I still buy a real tree. But while driving to the Christmas tree lot, I started thinking that we only had 1 week until Christmas, why buy a tree now. So we came back home tree-less. I looked around the house to see what I could use so it wouldn't seem like we were total Scrooges and to have something for Scotts presents.

I came up with the idea of a christmas tree forest. You all have those pencile thin trees, so do I. Steve was at the office and when he came home and saw my creation, he really like it. But then, he is cheeper than I am. So this is our christmas tree(s). I say, four trees are better than one. (Craig, Nicole & Scott are not too sure about it.)

Disney Doesn't Disappoint!

For almost 25 years Steve has wanted to go to Disney World in Orlando. We were always busy, had too many kids, too little money, boys always had some sort of ball game. Now that we no longer have any young kids at home (I know we still should count Scott, but he's in college. Although he is mad we went during finals and didn't invite him), we have the time and money. But even better, we have grandkids. For 7 days we were in Disney heaven with Kelli, Ryan, Derek & David. We went to Disney World, Disney Aminal Kingdom, Disney Hollywood Studios & Disney Epcot. The weather was perfect, at nice 80 degrees. We went to Kennedy Space Center and the beach and swam in the pool almost everyday. The boys were so good. They walked all day long, never complaining or whinning. We were somtimes surrounded by kids crying, screaming and thowing fits, but David (5 yrs old) and Derek (7 yrs old) were the best grandkids ever. We had a really good time and I'm not sure who was more tired at the end of the day, grandma & granddad or the boys. It was so much fun, Steve is trying to plan another trip there with more grandkids. I just want to get through Christmas first.

Dress done, Waiting for baby.......

The blessing dress Stephanie (my daughter-in-law) asked me make is finally finished. Stephanie sent me an email link to the dress she wanted it to look like. I at first thought I would just buy it, but the $250.00 price tag shut that thought down. So off I went in search of material, trim and pattern. Who would have thought it would take almost three weeks to get it done. Well, I couldn't find a pattern with everything she wanted so I had to adjust, add and redo, make up. The trim is pretty darn close to that on the original dress so I was happy with that. The material was the biggest problem, she didn't want anything to shinny. Kelli (in Utah) finally went off looking and sent some down for me. Turns out it was the winner, just hope Stephanie likes it. A big thanks to my friend Rebecca for letting me use her serger on the seams, it makes the dress look so professional, not that a 2 month old baby cares if the seams are serged or not. Oh, speaking about the baby, she's late, not here yet. I would mention her by name but I notice that Kent & Stephanie haven't giving the name up yet, so I'm not going to be the one to spoil the anticipation.

I'm leaving for their house on Tuesday, Stephanie said if she hasn't had the baby by then, she is being induced that morning. So either way, there will be a baby born on Tuesday. I hope it doesn't rain for the three weeks I'm there, typical Seattle weather.

No Beans in Beantown

We just got home from being in Boston for a week and I didn't have any beans, but I did have a Boston cream donut. There are Dunkin Donut stores on every corner,really, every corner. I have never seen so many in one city. Didn't find out why it is called beantown until the end of the week.

I had the great idea not to rent a car while we were there so we took the "T" (Bostonian for the subway train) everywhere. It was an adventure and very fun. I recommend it to anyone going to Boston. They have a 1 week ticket for $15 that gives you unlimited riding on the "T" and the buses. We walked all over too, walked the Freedom Trail, saw Fenway Park, took the "Duck tour", went to the museum on a rainy day, walked around Beacon Hill, visited Paul Reever's grave & house, and many more historic site from before the Revolutionary War. I loved it. Boston is a great city to visit, you should go there sometime.

Our room is in the building with the clock tower, pointed at the top, on the 14th floor.

Walking through the Beacon Hill neighborhood, it was old and lovely

The harbor view from our room "Make way for ducklings"- the book based on a real incident in Boston. Love these bronze ducks

We went to Fenway Park and took the tour

Steve can always find an old ship to tour, a battleship from WWII

Our tour on the Charles river.